India Deploys Military to Rescue 700 From Flood-Hit Train

(Bloomberg) -- India deployed airforce helicopters and teams from its navy to rescue passengers stranded aboard a train stalled by heavy rainfall and floods about 60 kilometers east of Mumbai.

The Mumbai-Kolhapur Mahalaxmi Express was held up since 3 a.m. local time with 700 passengers on board, India Today reported, citing a spokesman for the railway services. By 3 p.m., all had been evacuated, according to the Maharashtra state government.

“Following the incessant rains over the last 24 hours in Mumbai and adjoining areas, eight flood rescue teams from the Indian navy, including three diving teams,” were mobilized with rescue material such as inflatable boats and life jackets, the naval service's spokesperson tweeted earlier.

The train left Mumbai on Friday night but had to stop when torrential rains flooded the tracks. Parts of the state received their “heaviest downpours during recent times,” which will continue through Saturday and increase on Monday after a brief respite, according to the private Skymet weather forecaster. Eleven flights were canceled from Mumbai airport on Saturday morning and nine diverted, the Press Trust of India reported.

Read more: Mumbai Paralyzed After Heaviest Downpour in More Than a Decade

India's financial hub recorded about 17 centimeters of rain through the night, according to Skymet, with more forecast. Flooded streets revived memories of July 2005 when, almost to the day, about 95 centimeters of rainfall over 24 hours killed more than 1,000 people and brought the city to a standstill.

The government's weather office on Saturday issued an “orange alert,” the second-highest warning, which directs authorities to prepare for a severe situation.

To contact the reporter on this story: Jeanette Rodrigues in Mumbai at jrodrigues26@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Sam Mamudi at smamudi@bloomberg.net, Jeanette Rodrigues, Shamim Adam

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